Footboard for vehicles.



- No. 640,883. v Patented Jan. 9, |900.

H. DHUSE.

FDOTBARD FR VEHICLES.

(Application led May 13, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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' UNITED STATES ATnNr OFFICE.

HERMAN DHUSE, OF KENDAVLL, ILLINOIS.

FOOTBOARD FOR VEHlCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,883, dated January 9, 1900.

Application iled May 13, 1899. Serial No. 716,700. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN DHUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kendall, in the countyof Kendall and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and useful Footboard, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to footboards for vehicles, and has for its object to provide a detachable device located within the body of the vehicle in convenient reach of the feet of the driver and adapted to be folded against the dashboard or front end of the body, so as to be out of the way when not required for use.

With these objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and. particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wagon-body having the improved footboard applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken transversely through the footboard. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the footboard in folded position. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the hinges separated.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in all the figuresof the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l designates a portion of a wagon-body and is shown to illustrate more fully the application of the device. lT he latter comprises a at footboard 2, supported by a pairof duplicate hinges 3, which are removably connected to "the dashboard or front end 4. ofthe wagonbody. I

By reference to Fig. 4. it will be noted that the stationary upright member 5 of the hinge is in the form of a flat strap, having its upper end provided with an angular hook 6 and which is adapted to engage over the upper edge of the dashboard, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Upon the opposite side of the member and at the lower end thereof there is provided a pair of spaced bearing-ears 7, between which the movable member 8 of the hinge is adapted to be pivoted. This latter member is provided with a segmental lug 9, which projects longitudinally beyond one end of the member and at one side only thereof, the extreme outer end of the lug being flattened, as

at l0, to form a stop for the movable member,

as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The opposite end of the movable member is provided with a shoulder l1, projecting at the same side of the member as does the lug 9, and the footboard 2 is fastened across the respective faces of the movable members of the two hinges by means of bolts orsuitable fastenings l2. The members of the hinges are connected together by seating the lugs 9 between thetrespective ears 7 of the fixed members and held therebetween by means of pivot-bolts 13, so that the movable members may be folded up against the fixed members, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the angular hook 6 fits snugly the upper edge of the dashboard 4 and the movable member rests iiush against the inner face of the board, while the flattened portion 10 of the lug 9 engages against the adjacent fiat face of the fixed member, whereby a stop is provided so as to efectually hold the footboard in a horizontal position in convenient reach of the feet of the driver.

To hold the footboard in its folded position against the dashboard 4, as indicated in Fig. 3, I have provided each member of the hinges at their opposite ends with oppositely-disposed hooked lugs 14., each pair of which is adapted to be embraced by a ring or link 15, so as to confine the free ends of the movable members to the stationary members, whereby the footboard is effectually held in its folded position. It will be noted that the shoulders 1l embrace the outer edge of the footboard, and the hooked lugs la of the movable members are disposed at the/outer end of said shoulders, so-as to come as near as possible to the hooked lugs of the fixed members, and thereby facilitate the engagement of the rings or links with said hooks.

It will be noted that the stationary members of the hinges are vnot permanently attached to the dashboard, but are removably connected thereto by means of the angular hooks 6, so that the footboard may be readily removed from the wagon-body when desired and readily positioned for use without the application of bolts and other fastening devices. Furthermore, it will be understood IOO that the footboard is preferably of a length to tit snugly between the sides 16 and l?, respectively, of the Wagon-body, so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the device, and by reason of the stationary members tting dat against the dashboard and the angular hooks snugly engaging the upper edge thereof the device is effectually prevented from being jolted about or displaced by the movement of the rider. Also it Will be understood that the footboard may be located upon the outer side of the dashboard when so desired, as the angular hooks 6 will fit the upper edge of the dashboard from either side thereof.

The present device provides an exceedingly simple and durable footboardl for vehicles, as

the parts are effectively connected together,

whereby the loss or displacement thereof is effectually prevented, and the device may be readily positioned as a Whole to the dashboard of a Wagon Without the employment of bolts or other fastening devices.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacri- Aiicing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim isl A device of the class described, comprisp ing hinges, and a footboard connected to provided at the opposite ends' of the hinged members, and rings or links adapted to embrace the respective pairs of hooked lugs so as to hold the footboard in its folded position, substantially as shown and described.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of duplicate hinges, and a iiat footboard connected to the movable members of the hinges, each stationary member being provided at its upper end with an angular hook adapted to engage the upper edge of the dashboard of a Wagon-bod y and a hooked lug projecting beyond the end of the menr ber, the opposite end thereof being provided with spaced bearing-ears, each movable member having at one end a segmental lug pro` vided at its outer end with a flattened face and adapted to be pivoted between the respective ears of the stationary members, whereby the dat portion of the lug is adapted to engage the stationary member and form a stop, the opposite end of the movable member being provided with a transverse'shonlder adapted to embrace the outer edge of the footboard and having an outwardly-projecting hooked lug, and rings or links adapted to embrace the respective pairs of hooked lugs,

folded position, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HERMAN DHUSE.

Witnesses:

ERNEST H. LIrroLo, JOHN FITZGERALD.

Awhereby the footboard may lbe held in its 

